GIANFRANCO Zola chose to take the positives from West Ham's 2-1 defeat to Stoke City at the weekend.
Striker James Beattie scored either side of a Matthew Upson header to consign the Hammers to their fifth loss of the season, leaving them second-bottom of the table.
Beattie's first came from the penalty spot after right-back Julien Faubert felled Matthew Etherington in the box. Upson's powerful header from a Mark Noble corner drew the visitors level but, following a dominant second-half spell, Beattie got the better of Faubert at the back post to prod home after Robert Green could only parry Ricardo Fuller's shot into the striker's path.
“It’s frustrating for us to come out with no points because when they scored the second goal it looked like we were going to win that game,” said Zola. “It’s tough for me to have a go at the players as I think they gave everything. It is encouraging that if we play like that it will be a different story soon - that is all I can say about that.”
The game's most controversial moment came midway through the second half. As players jostled for position inside the Stoke box, defender Robert Huth appeared to aim a punch at Upson. The blow sent the West Ham man falling to the ground and opened up a cut near his eye, which he had earlier had treatment for following a clash with Ryan Shawcross. Zola admitted he had seen the incident and claimed Huth should have been sent off.
“I saw the incident. Matthew is OK now and he has had a few stitches. Looking at the incident after the match, he would have been sent off. I can only assume the referee didn’t see it.”
The Football Association are likely to investigate the incident.
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